It is regrettable that the proposal by David Gauke in 2019 to scrap short prison sentences was rejected after the then justice secretary was sacked by Boris Johnson (“ ‘Creative use of punishment’: Covid-style lockdowns proposed for criminals in England and Wales”, News).
A ban on custodial sentences of two years or less would mean those convicted of minor crimes could serve an alternative method of punishment in the community. This would also reduce the number of people held on remand as those likely to face a non-custodial sentence would be on bail.
